This was just one recent detected instance, there have been many more, especially with earlier exploration spacecraft. In particular, the early Russian Mars explorers went through very poor or no sterilization procedures and likely hauled a variety of bacterial life to Mars. In the estimation of many in the scientific community, Mars has already been seeded with a variety of Bacteria. So I wouldn't be surprised at all if bacteria are discovered thriving at some point in the future. There are plenty of resources for them to live there and many easily survived the vacuum of space to arrive there. After all, we found living Bacteria on the moon that we put there years before via contaminated spacecraft and the moon doesn't even have an atmosphere.

This is so true, and a shame to spend so much $ only to sample contaminated soil. Meteorological experiments or imaging the surrounding terrain are fine for stationary landers, but sampling material on the ground require a pristine location. Missions with roving capability would always be preferable but costs make them prohibitive. Maybe NASA can consider an intermediary method where the lander shifts, rolls or a leaps short distance to another spot after landing. Just a thought.

Perhaps in anticipation of such findings, the Pope recently made a statement condoning belief in extraterrestrial life. He basically said that the existence of ETs would not invalidate Biblical teachings of man as favored creation. But that aliens would simply be separately created beings, perhaps even the historical "angels."

Energy source? How? Like light in photoynthesis? Like NPK fertilizer?

Like oxygen in metabolism. Those molecules are oxidizers and that means they can, theoretically, replace oxygen in oxidation reactions. Not the same reactions we have in our bodies, of course, but analogues in a different biological path.

It's a speculative possibility, though.

Organics in Chile? Molecules, material?

This is so vague it's as if they had'nt said anything.

sad but true? :

NASA =

N ever
A
S traight
A nswer

AJames Says: 
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:56 am
Just another story relating to the speculations of the irresponsible tabloid American media – doing anything to gain some notoriety or some pre-emptive fame.
i always thought the media should be presenting the news and not being the story itself – especially science media. Any scientist should always present the facts to draw conclusions, and announce the outcome if necessary. Wanting to forewarn of scientific breakthroughs gives science just a bad name – the same as the astrologers, faith healers, the charlatans, and the self-professed prophets. You might as well be reading chicken entrails and hiring a psychic to portent the future…
So please, if we must talk about scientific things, let's not talk of the mumbo-jumbo of the possible or the probable, but centre on the substantiated fact or observation.

TD August 4th, 2008 at 10:25 am
UniverseToday.com – it's really ashame that so many obscene comments have been permitted. It's also ashame that many of the comments are pointless one-liners, but I suppose there is nothing to be done about that. It's really hard to explain why people chose this story to become a blogs version of a mob scene. Mankind does have a more uplifted side.

AJames Says: 
August 4th, 2008 at 10:59 am
TD
The obscenity is more with such an unsubstantiated rumour of gossip like this media-driven story.
The fact is that no amount of hearsay about some presumed story matters a hill of beans unless the information is based on fact and verifiable truth. We might as well be reading stories of Paris Hilton, Lynsay Lohan, or of the exploits of the dear departed Princess Diana before anything in this article matters.
I notice there have been 165,754 view of this page, which shows the state of humanity – when idle speculation clearly rules over common sense. Intelligent life on Earth – makes you surely want to question it, don't you think?.
Still, I wait for the facts to be announced before I'll make my comment on the issue. If, as it is likely, this announcement is a lame as I expect, only then I will then state my considered.
(Can't wait till after the "miraculous" answer that will change my life and history as we know it! I just hope it makes someone smile – because something needs to cheer us up the way things are currently going)

======

NOTE: Please scientifically verify results and conclusion BEFORE stating things as either fact or speculation. Else we end upwith egg on everyone's faces!!

Money.

NASA can't do what Cogress won't authorize the funding for. There are no votes in something the public lost interest in, espically when an unpopular war was going on.

Remember, we cancelled the last three missions, even thoug the hardware already existed. They're lawn displays now, at KSC and JSC.

The same reason a great many other things do or don't happen. Money.

The main character of the movie finds he can burn yellow rocks that have their own oxygen source, "like solid rocket fuel".

Interesting……..now where's that darn monkey!

Alright! What if there is/was life on Mars?
We are not alone… hum! Big F*king Deal!

Are we going to rush two more dozen missions? Is that it?~~

There's alot more to it than "hey we found it. k, what's next?" A discovery like that has enormous implications on not just science, but on society. I hate to make a remotely religious tie-in to this, but many people under a certain religious group believe that the Earth was created on it's own and is the only known planet to harbor life. For life to be discovered on another planet would invoke cries of heresy and maybe even send people into fits thinking that their could possibly be further advanced civilizations out there that could pose a threat to our way of life and planet in general. Not so cut and dry as sending a few more probes and mechanical prospectors to Mars.

It would make the Universe a whole new ball game. Especially if we find it on the very first planet we believe has a reasonable chance of possessing it.

This would fuel the drive and progress of mankind for the next 1000 years, especially if we found a way over the massive barrier in our way the naggingly slow speed of light.

Alright! What if there is/was life on Mars?
We are not alone… hum! Big F*king Deal!

Are we going to rush two more dozen missions? Is that it?

I've said it before here: This project seems to have a problem of shooting their mouths off, then having to eat their words. This is like the third time!!!

They should take a lesson from Jack Webb: "Just the facts, ma'am."

http://oasys2.confex.com/acs/231nm/techprogram/P945888.HTM
http://www.unr.edu/idgrad/esh/faculty/gmiller.asp

I guess photochemical reactions might, eventually, decompose some atmospheric CO2 making oxygen atoms available for reaction with whatever more reactive substances that might be found in the atmosphere or in the upper layers of the soil. There is the possibility that the soil includes plenty of salt, from the martian liquid past. Couldn't the perchlorates form through this method? Couldn't it have been slowly piling up over the dry ages of Mars? And wouldn't that tell us basicly nothing about past habitability?